Fish hook apparatus

ABSTRACT

A fish hook apparatus including a head member, a shank, a bend section, a point element, and securing elements and a method for producing a controllable action in a bait are provided. The head member is defined by a top nose element, opposing side walls, and a bottom end. The head member includes a channel with openings at the top nose element and an opposing side wall for passing a fishing line. A securing element, coupled to the bottom end of the head member, secures a head of the bait. Another securing element, coupled to any location of the bait, secures one end of the fishing line exiting from the head member to the bait. Controllably tugging the fishing line curls the secured bait backwards towards the head member and springs the secured bait forwards to produce a controllable action, for example, a worm-like action in the bait.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of the provisionalpatent application titled “Curlin' Worm”, application No. 62/749,949,filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 24, 2018.The specification of the above referenced patent application isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The embodiments herein, in general, relate to a fishing device. Moreparticularly, the embodiments herein relate to a fish hook apparatus forproducing a controllable action in a bait during fishing.

Description of the Related Art

A fish hook is a device for catching fish by piercing the mouth of thefish or capturing the body of the fish. A person who fishes, alsoreferred to as an “angler”, typically uses a fishing bait or a fishinglure for attracting the attention of the fish. The fishing baittypically uses color, movement, vibration, etc., to attract or bait thefish. Some fishing baits comprise one or more hooks for catching thefish when the fish strikes the fishing bait. Most fishing baits are tiedoff with a fishing line at the head of the fishing bait and pulledthrough the water back to the angler via a fishing reel of a fishingrod. The movement of pulling a fishing bait through the water providesthe fishing bait its action for attracting the fish. The head of thefishing bait typically comprises a metal loop, herein referred to as an“eye”, to which the fishing line is tied. An angler typically has toreel or pull the fishing bait through the water using the fishing reelto create action, for example, back and forth movements of the fishingbait, for attracting the fish, which requires substantial manual effort.Moreover, tying a fishing line through an eye of a conventional fishingbait does not provide an angler with sufficient control over themovement of the fishing bait in a strike zone of the water.

Hence, there is a long-felt need for a fish hook apparatus and a methodfor producing a controllable action, for example, a curling, worm-likeaction, in a bait during fishing. Moreover, there is a need for a fishhook apparatus and a method that allow an angler to create and controlthe action in the bait with minimal effort and without having to reel inthe bait.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description.This summary is not intended to determine the scope of the claimedsubject matter.

The fish hook apparatus and the method disclosed herein address theabove-recited need for producing a controllable action, for example, acurling, worm-like action, in a bait during fishing. The fish hookapparatus and the method disclosed herein also allow an angler to createand control the action in the bait with minimal effort and withouthaving to reel in the bait.

The fish hook apparatus disclosed herein comprises a head member, ashank, a bend section, a point element, and securing elements. The headmember is defined by a top nose element, opposing side walls, and abottom end. The head member comprises a channel configured to passthrough the head member from the top nose element to one of the opposingside walls of the head member. The channel of the head member comprisesa first opening and a second opening. The first opening is configured atthe top nose element. The first opening is configured to receive afishing line and pass the fishing line through the channel and outthrough the second opening. The second opening is configured at theopposing side wall. The second opening is configured to receive and exitthe fishing line passed through the channel. The shank extends from theother opposing side wall of the head member. The bend section extendsfrom the shank. The point element extends from the bend section. Thepoint element is configured to pierce a bait. The bait comprises a head,a body, and a tail.

A first securing element, for example, a screw-type fastener such as ascrew-type hitchhiker, is coupled to the bottom end of the head member.The first securing element is configured to secure a head of the bait. Asecond securing element, for example, a hook, is coupled to any one ofmultiple locations, for example, the body, the tail, etc., of the bait.The second securing element is configured to secure one end of thefishing line exiting from the second opening of the channel of the headmember to the bait. The fish hook apparatus disclosed herein allows anangler to controllably tug the fishing line to curl the bait secured bythe first securing element and the second securing element backwardstowards the head member and to spring the bait forwards due to tensionin the bait to produce a controllable action, for example, a curling,worm-like action, in the bait. The fish hook apparatus disclosed hereinallows the angler to produce a controllable action in the bait in astrike zone of a water body without reeling the bait out of the strikezone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, isbetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. For illustrating the embodiments herein, exemplaryconstructions of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, theembodiments herein are not limited to the specific structures andmethods disclosed herein. The description of a structure or a methodstep referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to thedescription of that structure or that method step shown by that samenumeral in any subsequent drawing herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a fish hook apparatus,according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus,showing a channel configured to pass through a head member of the fishhook apparatus from a top nose element to an opposing side wall of thehead member, according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top perspective view of the fish hook apparatus,showing openings configured in the head member of the fish hookapparatus, according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged, front perspective view of the fish hookapparatus, showing a fishing line of a fishing rod, passing through theopenings configured in the head member of the fish hook apparatus,according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 5A illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus,showing a bait attached to a bottom end of the head member, according toan embodiment herein.

FIG. 5B illustrates a front perspective view of a tail of the bait,showing a securing element coupled to the tail of the bait, according toan embodiment herein.

FIG. 5C illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus,showing the bait attached to the bottom end of the head member and thefishing line coupled to the tail of the bait using the securing element,according to an embodiment herein.

FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate front perspective views of the fish hookapparatus, showing a production of a controllable action in the baitattached to the fish hook apparatus, according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method for producing a controllable action in abait, according to an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a fish hook apparatus 100,according to an embodiment herein. The fish hook apparatus 100 disclosedherein comprises a head member 101, a shank 106, a bend section 107, apoint element 108, and securing elements 109 and 110 illustrated inFIGS. 1-2 and FIG. 5B respectively. The head member 101 is defined by atop nose element 102, opposing side walls 104 a and 104 b, and a bottomend 105. The head member 101 allows connection of a fishing line to thefish hook apparatus 100. The head member 101 is, for example, made oflead. The head member 101 comprises a channel 103 as illustrated in FIG.2, configured to pass through the head member 101 from the top noseelement 102 to one of the opposing side walls, for example, 104 a, ofthe head member 101. In an embodiment, the channel 103 of the headmember 101 comprises openings or holes, for example, a first opening 103a and a second opening 103 b. The first opening 103 a is configured atthe top nose element 102. The first opening 103 a is configured toreceive a fishing line and pass the fishing line through the channel 103and out through the second opening 103 b. The second opening 103 b isconfigured at the opposing side wall 104 a. The second opening 103 b isconfigured to receive and exit the fishing line passed through thechannel 103. The shank 106 extends from the other opposing side wall 104b of the head member 101. In an embodiment, the shank 106 is molded tothe head member 101. The shank 106 connects the bend section 107 to thehead member 101. The bend section 107 extends from the shank 106. Thebend section 107 is a curved portion of the fish hook apparatus 100. Thepoint element 108 extends from the bend section 107 in an upwarddirection as illustrated in FIG. 1. The point element 108 is a sharpelement configured to pierce a bait, for example, a soft plastic bait, alive worm, grub, etc.

A first securing element 109, for example, a screw-type fastener such asa screw-type hitchhiker, is coupled to the bottom end 105 of the headmember 101. In an embodiment, the first securing element 109 is moldedto the bottom end 105 of the head member 101. The first securing element109 is configured to secure a head of the bait. In an embodiment, thefirst securing element 109 is configured as a screw lock bait keeper forattaching the bait to the fish hook apparatus 100. The first securingelement 109 screws the head of the bait onto the fish hook apparatus100. A second securing element 110, for example, a hook or anotherscrew-type hitchhiker, is coupled or screwed to any one of multiplelocations, for example, the body, the tail, etc., of the bait. Thesecond securing element 110 is configured to secure one end of thefishing line exiting from the second opening 103 b of the channel 103 ofthe head member 101 to the bait. The fish hook apparatus 100 disclosedherein allows a user of the fish hook apparatus 100, for example, anangler, to controllably tug the fishing line to curl the bait secured bythe first securing element 109 and the second securing element 110backwards towards the head member 101 and to spring the bait forwardsdue to tension in the bait to produce a controllable action, forexample, a curling, worm-like action, in the bait. The fish hookapparatus 100 disclosed herein allows the angler to produce acontrollable action, for example, a curling, worm-like action, in thebait in a strike zone of a water body without reeling the bait out ofthe strike zone.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus100, showing a channel 103 configured to pass through the head member101 of the fish hook apparatus 100 from the top nose element 102 to theopposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101, according to anembodiment herein. The channel 103 is configured within the head member101 and extends from the opening 103 a in the top nose element 102 tothe opening 103 b in the opposing side wall 104 a. The channel 103,therefore, passes through the top nose element 102 and out through theopposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101. The channel 103 allowsa fishing line to be fed through the top nose element 102 and out theopposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101. That is, the channel103 allows the fishing line received through the opening 103 a in thetop nose element 102 of the head member 101 to pass through and exitfrom the opening 103 b at the opposing side wall 104 a of the headmember 101.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top perspective view of the fish hook apparatus100, showing the openings 103 a and 103 b configured in the head member101 of the fish hook apparatus 100, according to an embodiment herein.The opening 103 a is configured at the top nose element 102 and theopening 103 b is configured at the opposing side wall 104 a of the headmember 101 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2. An angler inserts one end of thefishing line through the opening 103 a in the top nose element 102. Theopening 103 a in the top nose element 102 receives the fishing line andpasses the fishing line through the channel 103 illustrated in FIG. 2and out through the other opening 103 b. The opening 103 b at theopposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101 receives and exits thefishing line passed through the channel 103.

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged, front perspective view of the fish hookapparatus 100, showing a fishing line 404 of a fishing rod 401, passingthrough the openings 103 a and 103 b configured in the head member 101of the fish hook apparatus 100, according to an embodiment herein. Thefishing rod 401 comprises a reel 402 and guides 403. The guides 403 runthe length of the fishing rod 401 and guide the fishing line 404 fromthe reel 402 to a tip 401 a of the fishing rod 401. The reel 402contains a spool of the fishing line 404. Using a button or anotherelement positioned on the reel 402, an angler releases the fishing line404 from the reel 402 and passes the fishing line 404 through the guides403 until the fishing line 404 extends from the tip 401 a of the fishingrod 401. The angler then inserts one end of the fishing line 404 intothe opening 103 a at the top nose element 102 of the head member 101 andpasses the fishing line 404 through the channel 103 towards the opening103 b on the opposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101. Thechannel 103 allows the fishing line 404 to feed through the top noseelement 102 and out the opposing side wall 104 a of the head member 101.

FIG. 5A illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus100, showing a bait 501 attached to a bottom end 105 of the head member101, according to an embodiment herein. FIG. 5A also illustrates thefishing line 404 passing through the openings 103 a and 103 b configuredin the head member 101, according to an embodiment herein. In anembodiment, the bait 501 used for attracting fish comprises a head 501a, a body 501 b, and a tail 501 c. FIG. 5B illustrates a frontperspective view of the tail 501 c of the bait 501, showing a securingelement 110, for example, a hook, coupled to the tail 501 c of the bait501, according to an embodiment herein.

FIG. 5C illustrates a front perspective view of the fish hook apparatus100, showing the bait 501 attached to the bottom end 105 of the headmember 101 and the fishing line 404 coupled to the tail 501 c of thebait 501 using the securing element 110, according to an embodimentherein. In an embodiment, the securing element 109 illustrated in FIG.4, extends from the bottom end 105 of the head member 101. The securingelement 109 is, for example, a screw-type fastener such as a screw-typehitchhiker as illustrated in FIG. 4. The screw-type hitchhiker is aspring-type device. The head 501 a of the bait 501 is screwed andfastened to the head member 101 via the securing element 109. Thesecuring element 109 secures the head 501 a of the bait 501. The end 404a of the fishing line 404 that exits the opening 103 b in the opposingside wall 104 a of the head member 101 is coupled to the securingelement 110 that is coupled to the tail 501 c of the bait 501. Thesecuring element 110, therefore, couples the end 404 a of the fishingline 404 to the tail 501 c of the bait 501. In an embodiment, thesecuring element 110 is attached to the end 404 a of the fishing line404 and hooked or screwed into the tail 501 c of the bait 501. In anembodiment (not shown), the fishing line 404 is coupled to any part ofthe body 501 b of the bait 501 using the securing element 110.

FIGS. 6A-6E illustrates front perspective views of the fish hookapparatus 100, showing a production of a controllable action in the bait501 attached to the fish hook apparatus 100, according to an embodimentherein. An angler controllably tugs the fishing line 404 to curl thebait 501 secured by the securing elements 109 and 110 backwards towardsthe head member 101 as illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6C, and to spring thebait 501 forwards due to tension in the bait 501 as illustrated in FIGS.6D-6E, to produce a controllable action, for example, a curling,worm-like action, in the bait 501. When the tip 401 a of the fishing rod401 illustrated in FIG. 4 is tugged, the bait 501 curls back up to thehead member 101 as illustrated in FIG. 6C. For purposes of illustration,the detailed description refers to production of a curling, worm-likeaction using the fish hook apparatus 100 and the fishing line 404;however the scope of the fish hook apparatus 100 and the methoddisclosed herein is not limited to production of a curling, worm-likeaction but may be extended to implement production of any type ofcontrollable action that attracts the attention of fish.

In the fish hook apparatus 100 disclosed herein, the fishing line 404passes through the head member 101 and not through any eye element. Thefish hook apparatus 100 disclosed herein is free of the eye element towhich a fishing line is typically tied. In the fish hook apparatus 100disclosed herein, the fishing line 404 is fed through the head member101 via the channel 103 and tied to the securing element 110, which isinserted into the tail 501 c of the bait 501. Tying the fishing line 404to the tail 501 c or another part of the bait 501 via the securingelement 110 allows creation of a realistic action in the bait 501. Whenthe angler slightly tugs the tip 401 a of the fishing rod 401, the tail501 c of the bait 501 curls up towards the top nose element 102 of thehead member 101, thereby creating a realistic curling action of a liveworm in the bait 501. The fish hook apparatus 100 provides the anglerwith complete control of how and when the bait 501 curls.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method for producing a controllable action in abait, according to an embodiment herein. A user, for example, an angler,connects 701 a fishing line to the fish hook apparatus 100 and passes702 the fishing line through the channel of the head member from thefirst opening to the second opening as illustrated in FIG. 4. The anglerthen secures 703 the head of the bait using a securing element asillustrated in FIG. 5A. The angler then pierces 704 the body of the baitusing the point element as illustrated in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5C. Theangler then secures 705 one end of the fishing line exiting from thesecond opening of the channel of the head member using another securingelement as illustrated in FIG. 5C. The angler then controllably tugs 706the fishing line to curl the bait secured by the securing elementsbackwards towards the head member and to spring the bait forwards due totension in the bait to produce a controllable action, for example, acurling, worm-like action in the bait as illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6E.

The fish hook apparatus and the method disclosed herein creates afishing lure where the fishing line passes through the head member andattaches to the middle or tail of the bait. The fish hook apparatusdisclosed herein allows an angler to be able to create an action in thebait without having to reel in their bait. The angler may slightly tugon the tip of the fishing rod, which makes the body or the tail of thebait move back and forth to produce a substantial action out of thebait, thereby allowing the angler to leave the bait in a particular areaand move or provide action to the bait without having to reel in thebait. The angler may, therefore, leave the bait in the strike zone whilethe bait is moving. The fish hook apparatus disclosed herein is,therefore, useful in the fishing industry. Moreover, the fish hookapparatus provides the bait, for example, a worm or grub, with arealistic curl action rather than merely reeling or pulling the baitthrough the water. Furthermore, the fish hook apparatus allows theangler to have full and total control of how and when the bait acts orcurls.

The foregoing examples and illustrative implementations of variousembodiments have been provided merely for explanation and are in no wayto be construed as limiting of the embodiments disclosed herein. Whilethe embodiments have been described with reference to variousillustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques, it is understoodthat the words, which have been used herein, are words of descriptionand illustration, rather than words of limitation. Furthermore, althoughthe embodiments have been described herein with reference to particularmeans, materials, techniques, and implementations, the embodimentsherein are not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosedherein; rather, the embodiments extend to all functionally equivalentstructures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of theappended claims. It will be understood by those skilled in the art,having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, that theembodiments disclosed herein are capable of modifications and otherembodiments may be executed and changes may be made thereto, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the embodiments disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fish hook apparatus comprising: a flexibleplastic bait defining at least a head and a tail; a head member definedby a top nose element, a side wall surface, and a bottom end, whereinthe head member comprises a channel having a first aperture associatedwith the top nose element and a second aperture associated with the sidewall surface; a hook extending from the bottom end of the head member,wherein the hook comprises a shank, a bend section, and a point; a firstbait-securing element coupled at a proximate end to the bottom end ofthe head member and at a distal end to the head of the flexible plasticbait; and a second bait-securing element coupled to the tail of theflexible plastic bait and providing a connection point for fishing lineproximate to the tail; wherein a pulling force applied to a fishing linethat has been extended through the channel and secured to the connectionpoint of the second bait-securing element will cause the tail of theflexible plastic bait to curl towards the head member.
 2. The fish hookapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bait-securing elementis a screw-type fastener.
 3. The fish hook apparatus according to claim1, wherein the connection point of the second bait-securing elementcomprises an eyelet.